Betrayals and Consequences
by Kinkajou Jasmine
Summary: Young love. Torn apart. He left someone behind. Misunderstandings. Reunion. Realization. He never forgets.
1. Chapter 1: Glad and Devastated

EPOV

Did you ever feel like you can't escape something, no matter how hard you try? What is worse is that the feeling you are trying to escape is a feeling you have inflicted upon yourself. I bit back the water building in my eyes, gritting my teeth in frustration until I felt that I would grind my teeth out. I slammed down the folder I was proofreading, not being able to concentrate. This was the only day out of the year that I couldn't immerse myself in my work. The one day that the turmoil in my heart overwhelmed me to the point where it was all I could dwell on. _Her_ birthday. Frustrated, I packed up my things, telling myself that I would work on it tonight. I grabbed my suitcase and stormed out. I stopped by my secretary Lauren's desk.

"Hold my calls." I tried to keep some of the malice out of my voice, but I wasn't that successful. She hastily nodded and I left. I had already been working for quite some time, and it was already dark out. The few people in the hallway that saw me immediately stepped out of my way. I knew that I had a bit of a reputation for being moody, but it wasn't something I could help. I pressed the button on the elevator and waited impatiently. It opened, and I stepped on, pushing the button for the parking garage. I walked at a somewhat quick pace to my Aston Martin. Inside, I shoved the key into the ignition and sped off. I had to keep reminding myself to drive at the regular speed limit. I didn't feel like getting pulled over by the cops.

I pulled into the large driveway of my house. It wasn't a house I would've picked. Tanya had begged and pleaded until I gave in. The house was in my name, but it was her house in the ways of architecture and interior design. I sat by and let her do what she wished. The one thing she wanted from me was a proposal. Tanya kept telling me that we were already living together and all, so it was only natural. She continued to drop hints as much as possible. I felt a little bad, but that was overshadowed by my own issues. I constantly kept her at bay, telling her whatever she wanted to hear. Except the words "will you marry me?"

I parked the car and got out. I walked up the stairs to the double doors of the entrance, unlocked the door and was assaulted by the stench of burnt pasta or something. I wafted the smoke away with my arm and left the door open. When I stepped into the kitchen, I saw Tanya fanning a casserole dish of what could have been lasagna. Tanya looked up and saw me standing there with my eyebrows raised.

"Edward! I didn't expect you to be back so soon!" She threw off a pair of oven mitts she had been wearing and leaped into my arms. I caught her on instinct, and she kissed me. If felt wrong. Regardless, I kissed her back and pulled away after a few moments.

"Were you making lasagna?" She sighed.

"Yeah. I only had it in for 25 minutes. I don't know what happened." I went over to the oven and turned it off, catching a glimpse of how high the heat had been.

"Tanya, you put it at 525 degrees, and it was supposed to be 350."

"I'm sorry. I was trying to make sure you had a nice home-cooked meal when you got home. I know lasagna is your favorite."

"It doesn't matter. We can just get Thai or Italian. No big deal." I threw away the burnt lasagna and put the dish in the sink, running cold water over it.

"I just wanted you to have something good to eat instead of takeout. That's what a good wife would do." I rolled my eyes when she wasn't looking. Another hint dropped. I didn't say anything as I went upstairs.

"I'll be right back with some food." Tanya called out. She snatched her car keys and scurried out the door. I threw off my clothing and got a pair of pajama pants and a T-shirt. I hopped in the shower and bathed. When I was done, I stood there until the water ran cold. I was lost in my thoughts of her. I always found myself wishing that I could go back and see if there was any way to avoid what had happened. For almost six years, I was never whole. I knew what was missing in my life, but I knew I had to go without it. Without her. I wouldn't allow my heart to be broken again.

A while after my shower, I was finishing up the rest of my files when Tanya came into the room. She placed a bag of food on the big glass coffee table near the plasma screen.

"Hey baby." She kissed me and as usual, I pulled back first. I got up and made a plate of what was in the bag. I ate without really tasting it. With a full stomach, I threw away everything that wasn't eaten, turned off the lights, and got in the king size bed. Tanya crawled in next to me and laid her head on my chest. Playing the part of the dutiful boyfriend, I put my arm around her and I felt her smile against me. I was a tad uncomfortable. Tanya, being obsessed with keeping a trim figure, was too sharp in the side of my body for my tastes. I preferred a woman who was so soft, so fragile. Under the guise of falling asleep, I finally allowed myself to completely drown myself in my thoughts.

Bella Swan. The woman I had wanted to spend the rest of my life with. I'd thought I had it all. The most beautiful, wonderful, caring, kind woman in the world. That had been until I found out she was a cheater and a liar. She broke my heart, and I sincerely thought I would die. Tanya had been there for me ever since, which led to us dating.

When I was 17, I fell in love with Bella. Because of her, I had a happier disposition. I looked at the world with better eyes. I had wanted to marry her, be with her in every way. We had been hopelessly in love. Or so I thought. I'd found out that she was lying to me a big part of the time we were together. She had cheated on me with some guy by the name of Jacob Black, a boy who went to school on the reservation. Tanya had informed me about them buying condoms together. Distraught, I didn't listen to anything Bella had tried to say. All she would do was lie. I hadn't heard from her in so long, and I was both glad and devastated at that fact. The last I had ever heard was that she moved to Jacksonville with her mother. Once again, glad and devastated. I had tried in vain to get over her, but I couldn't. That was what frustrated me most of all. Eventually, I was able to fall asleep. I knew she would invade my dreams like she always did. Why did she do this to me? To us?

* * *

 **A/N: I'm starting the entire story over. I hope you like it. I'm trying to make it more accurate, and would like to thank jansails for giving me some useful info on it! I may update again today so there's no confusion. More info and such in the next chapter. Will be BPOV.**


	2. Chapter 2: Inner Light and Turmoil

BPOV

Did you ever have some sort of whiplash in your head when you thought everything was perfect, but in no time at all, it crumbles before your eyes? Did you ever feel like there was no one you could turn to? I had felt that way for years, and I was grateful that it was no longer at the forefront of my mind. I had other, more important priorities. However, I couldn't help but think over all that happened.

I'd had it all. A wonderful, gorgeous boyfriend who loved me, an amazing family and friends. How could I lose it all so quickly? What hurt was that it wasn't my fault. Edward was my life. He was everything I wanted in a man. Attentive, sweet, caring, loving, the whole package. I had met him in high school when I was 16. We had immediately clicked and were inseparable. I'd felt that I could tell him anything. It hadn't been long before we were dating, and then we became official. We had been together for nearly two years, and we had even talked about getting married right out of school. Weeks before graduation, he broke my heart, telling me that we were done. I tried to tell him in vain that I hadn't cheated on him, but he wouldn't listen or return any of my calls. Eventually, he blocked my number.

I tried to tell his parents Carlisle and Esme about what had happened, but they wanted nothing to do with me. While they weren't mean outright, I could tell from their eyes and disposition that they wanted nothing to do with me. Neither did Alice or Rosalie, my two best friends. I'd thought that they would stick up for me, but they sided with Edward, and completely shut me out. Eventually, I accepted it somewhat, since they had been friends with Edward longer than they had with me. Apparently the girls told Emmett and Jasper not to talk to me because they avoided me like the plague. I was devastated beyond reason, but I'd tried to move on from them all for my sake. It became a lot harder when I'd found out that I was pregnant.

Knowing that the news of it would spread like wildfire, considering my father Charlie was the Chief of Police, I moved away. My mother had welcomed me with open arms, and was happy to hear that I was having a baby. She and my stepdad Phil were there for me the entire pregnancy. I kept it a secret from Charlie until Renee told him. I knew she would, since he kept calling and asking about me. He had been suspicious from the beginning about my reasons for leaving. At first he was disappointed, then angry at both Edward and me. He calmed down pretty quickly after his rant, then gave me his support.

I never visited him, but I sent him pictures of myself pregnant, and later on, pictures of Cody. My heart broke further when I had to isolate myself from the one last friend I had: Angela Weber. I had no one besides my parents, the only people I could divulge my sorrows to. Then things became worse for me. Renee died of pancreatic cancer several years after I'd had my son. The wounds in my heart had ripped open, but it took even longer for them to heal seeing as I had to care for my son, who hadn't yet been old enough to understand death and grief. I'd had to be strong for him. I didn't want him or really anyone to see me break down. Charlie had gone to the funeral and offered for us to stay with him, but I hadn't been ready to go back at the time. He understood, and told me to call him often.

Cody was the one thing in my world that kept me going. When I wasn't working, I was playing and caring for him. I knew he would turn heads when he got older. He was the spitting image of his father, emerald eyes, messy bronze hair, and perfect features. He had my rosy skin that was susceptible to blush and my lips that were carnation. He had just turned 6, and was very observant and perceptive for a child his age. There wasn't much I could hide from him.

That was a quality his father had. I hadn't tried to tell Edward of my pregnancy. I'd wanted to avoid him and his family entirely. When I looked back on it, I knew I should have at least told them, but I hadn't really been in the right frame of mind to consider that. I loved Cody with everything in me. He was now my only reason for living. He was that light in my life. Without him, I would be consumed in the darkness of my own grief.

A little over a year after Renee's death, I decided to move back to Washington. I had more than enough to move from the savings I had collected from my job and half of the proceeds I had gotten from my mother's life insurance. Charlie was ecstatic. Once we arrived, I would have to apply for jobs in Seattle. I knew I would have to face the familiar people, and I was hesitant to try and reconnect with Angela. For all I knew, she wouldn't want anything to do with me for leaving so abruptly without so much as an explanation or even a goodbye. The move would be hard, but I was determined to make everything as easy as possible for Cody's sake. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

Still, there were times when I felt I wouldn't make it. Quite often, after I made sure Cody was fast asleep, I would sob and shed tears until I couldn't anymore, my eyes red and puffy. I guessed that was what would happen when you lost that special someone, the one you would do anything for, your soul mate. Before Edward, I hadn't believed in those kinds of happy endings and fairy tales. Now I only believe the stories where you end up with something that elates you, but against that is the constant push of inner turmoil.


	3. Chapter 3: A Nuisance

EPOV

I woke up with a groan, my eyelids red from the sunlight streaming through the curtains that Tanya no doubt opened. Most hardworking people would kill for a day off of work. I wasn't one of those people. Immersing myself in files and other priorities helped keep my mind off of... _her_. I preferred that method other than getting dragged to go shopping with Tanya, whose squeal scattered my thoughts when she saw something in a store that she absolutely had to have. I didn't get what the big deal was about getting new clothes. Another pang of pain rushed through me, as I remembered that Bella used to hate shopping. She would have rather spend her time with me. I shut my eyes tighter, trying to force all thoughts of her to the back of my mind. It was easier this time around, her birthday passed.

I was still laying in bed, while Tanya was downstairs. She always got up early on my days off, wanting to bring me breakfast in bed. Every time she did, I would pretend to eat and scrape everything that looked burnt or raw into the trash bin on my side of the bed and cover it with crumpled napkins. I couldn't smell anything, so I was relieved, since that meant she wasn't cooking. But I had a small feeling of dread, because that usually meant that we were meeting one of her many, gossipy friends for breakfast. I wasn't looking forward to that at all. I heard Tanya's heels clicking up the stairs, getting louder as she got closer to the room door. She stepped in, and I could already smell the overpowering scent of her Chanel perfume. She had on a red tube top, a trench coat, and tight light wash jeans. It was one of her tame outfits.

"Good morning honey." She said cheerily.

"Morning." I forced a smile, and she grinned widely.

"After you shower, get dressed because we're meeting Jessica for brunch at Tilikum Place Café. Then the three of us are going shopping." She flounced out of the room, and I rolled my eyes. Couldn't it have been anyone else besides Jessica? She wasn't the sharpest knife in the drawer, and conversation with her was dull. I wondered why Tanya was friends with her, but maybe it was because she thought Jess was only joking around when she made sexual advances toward me.

Since I didn't like shopping, they would both try to convince me to give them free reign over my American Express Centurion card. I had had an American Express Platinum card, and I was offered my current one after $250,000 was spent. Tanya helped spend that amount of money gladly. The inital and annual fees for the card weren't expensive at all, at least in my opinion. I had seen no need for the Centurion card, but Tanya begged and pleaded for me to accept it. Most of the time, it was easier just to give in.

I got out of the bed and went in the bathroom. I went through the mundane process of showering, shaving, and brushing my teeth. My hair was a lost cause. I threw on a light blue button down and dark washed jeans. I went downstairs after putting on my shoes. Tanya was waiting on the couch. She smiled and nodded her approval. We left, got in my car, and drove to the restaurant. On the way there, she just kept chattering annoyingly.

"Edward, are you listening to me?" Tanya frowned.

"Sorry, I zoned out. Can you repeat that?" I smirked, knowing it dazzled her and I would stay out of trouble, listening to her whine.

"I was thinking, maybe we can take a vacation to the Bahamas. With your card, we can get a flight upgrade and a complimentary hotel room. Wouldn't it be nice to get away from it all for a while, alone?" She purred.

"We're here." I was saved from answering as we pulled into the parking lot. Fortunately, Tanya was distracted, and we got out of the car. As I was opening the door for Tanya, I heard squealing tires. We looked up and saw Jess tearing into the lot, and parking next to us. Thank God it was on the driver side, or she would've clipped me.

"Jess!" Tanya practically screeched.

"Tan!" They hugged each other tightly, and when they broke apart, Jess stepped towards me. She held me very tightly, and her hand drifted downwards. I pulled away, and took a step back. She pouted, and walked to the front door with Tanya. I followed them, and came to the podium. The girl looked young, about 18, with dirty blonde hair. She did a double take and smiled seductively at me.

"How many in your party?" She asked, keeping her gaze on me.

"Three." I told her.

"Right this way." She grabbed the menus and put some extra sway into her hips. She led us to a booth and the girls slid in. Tanya pulled me closer, throwing the hostess a dirty look. She let us skim over the menus for a moment.

"My name's Camille, and I'll be your server today. What would you like to drink?" She only looked at me. I thought she was just the hostess, not the waitress too.

"We'll just have water." Tanya answered for all of us.

"Okay. I'll be right back with that." Shooting me one last glance, she sashayed into the back.

"Can you believe the way she was flirting with Eddie in front of me?" Tanya asked Jessica incredulously.

"I know, right? It's so tacky." I bit back a laugh at the irony.

"She's too young for Edward anyway. Besides, he already has the perfect one for him. Me." Tanya boasted. She kissed me, and I fought to keep the grimace off of my face. I pulled back after a few seconds. "She's so not getting a tip."

Camille came back with our drinks, and flipped open her order pad.

"Have you decided?" She tried to smile sexily.

"We'll both have the Mixed Lettuce Salad, easy on the olive oil. Eddie?" Tanya smiled at me.

"I'll have the TPC Breakfast Plate." I handed the menus to her.

"Okay. Do you want anything else?" She attempted to look coy, and we heard the double meaning in her words.

"No, but thank you." I said curtly. Camille looked a bit put out, but went to place the order. Tanya hopped into my lap, causing Camille to frown up. I wouldn't have done that, especially since she was the one bringing us the food. If anything tasted funny, I wasn't going to swallow it.

"So Edward, are you coming shopping with us?" Jessica leaned forward, showcasing her cleavage that looked a bit too big for her frame. Tanya spoke before I did.

"It's okay if you don't want to go. You can just give me your card and I'll come home later." I wanted to roll my eyes, but it wasn't worth the whining. If I gave Tanya my card, she would no doubt rack up insane charges on it, and she could spare me the credit card debt. If I went with her, she would have a blast showing me off as the young, handsome, and wealthy boyfriend (and potential husband) that bought her expensive designer clothes and anything else she desired, as she always did. It was a win-win situation for her.

Tanya may not look it, but she was insecure, and felt that expensive items, money, and an attractive guy would make her look better to others. Her mother Heidi was exactly the same way, just more subtle about it.

"I'll go shopping with you. I don't mind." Both girls beamed, and began talking about the latest trends that they wanted to buy. It got on my nerves, even more so since I knew Tanya's closet was full of clothes, shoes, accessories, and a bunch of other frivolous items. I'd had to move all my things into another closet because there was no more room. It was irritating that she went shopping at least once a week, and the closet was still full of clothing with the price tags still attached. I never complained about it, because last time she threw an epic fit when I suggested donating the clothes she hadn't worn for three months or more. Bella wasn't like that. She was completely selfless. She would give someone anything they needed if she could without hesitation. I winced, my thoughts of her coming back to the fray.

I saw Camille coming around the partition, with a small smile on her face. She looked professional this time around, so I didn't worry about her flirting with me again.

"Here's your salads, and your breakfast plate. Do you need anything else?"

"We're fine. Thanks." I was a bit nicer than before, and her smile widened. Fortunately, she walked away without another word.

I finished my food first, since the girls were too busy gossiping to eat. I pulled out my iPod, and listened to my playlist. I had it changed, because every song I had had before reminded me of Bella in some way. It was too painful to listen to it. I still had her lullaby on it. I hadn't played it or listened to it in years. I hadn't played the piano at all. It made my mother Esme sad that I didn't compose anymore. and she chalked it up to my breaking up with Bella.

A part of me didn't like how cruel Rose and Alice were to her, but I certainly wasn't going to stand up for her when she didn't deserve it.

I waited for them to finish their food. Camille had given me the bill, and we left after I put the cash in it, giving her a $50 tip. Tanya pouted at that, but thankfully, didn't say anything. Jessica trailed behind us on the way to the mall, and we parked close to the front. Tanya didn't want to walk too far in her stilettos. Right before we stepped through the entrance, she grasped my hand tightly, showing off our relationship to the women who looked my way. I barely managed to keep the scowl from showing on my face. Tanya was grasping my hand hard enough that her talons were digging in. Her hands were a little rough. Not like Bella's hands, that were oh so soft, with natural, short, French tips. Another internal smack on my head for allowing my thoughts to drift to her.

For the next several hours, I didn't pay attention to the stores we went in or what the girls bought. All I had to do was scan my card. What I did pay attention to were the prices. Jessica and Tanya spent money like it was going out of style. She was a little ticked that I put her on a slight budget, but she should have been happy because she bought tons more than what most women had in their entire closet. At least she was considerate of the fact that I couldn't hold her hand since she and Jess turned me into their pack mule. Jessica had had to give me her car keys so I could make trips to the car to put the bags away.

I sighed in relief as we were leaving the store. But on the way, we passed a bridal shop. Quite a few dresses were on display. Tanya noticed it, and her eyes got that glint in them.

"Oh my God, Jess! Look at this one! It's beautiful." I took a few steps back and let them admire the dresses. I took comfort in knowing that no one was getting married, so there was no reason to go in there.

"I wonder who my husband will be." Jess said as she glanced at me briefly.

"I know who mine will be, and I want everything to be perfect." Tanya linked her arm through mine. Once again, another hint of wanting me to propose.

"We should go. You have a lot of clothes in the car that you'll want to put in your closet."

"But Eddie, I recently got my nails done. Can't you do it?" Tanya whined.

"Fine." I groaned. Tanya squealed and kissed me on the cheek. Better than her lips touching mine.


	4. Chapter 4: Struggles

BPOV

I was exhausted. There was still a bunch to do to prepare for our move. Cody took it surprisingly well, which was a relief since I didn't need the tantrums. I had to enroll him in school, and find a babysitter for him for when Charlie and I had to work. I already had interviews set up that I had to attend in a few weeks. The one-way tickets were already bought, and I was packing up everything that we needed. Since it was Phil's house, I was only taking Cody's bed and mine, our dressers, and our clothing. Renee had helped me ship my truck from Forks to Jacksonville, and it helped me get to my job and wherever else I needed to go until it broke down. I took it to several shops, but it couldn't be fixed. I was going to have to dip into my savings to buy a car. It was definitely going to have to be used, but I didn't want it to have an extensive mileage on it.

Tears slipped from my eyes once more, at the thought of Angela. I left her without so much as a goodbye, but now I was going back because I needed help. I felt so dirty. She owed me nothing. Charlie didn't either, and I still harbored a little guilt for leaving abruptly. Angela must hate me. I took deep breaths to calm myself down as I packed up the last box. I had already finished loading up the clothes from Cody's room. I looked at the time on the microwave. I had to pick Cody up from school. I had had to take a day off of work today because Phil couldn't do it. He was at work, and I didn't want to be a burden. He had already helped me so much, letting us stay here at the house and providing for Cody when I struggled. He was sad about us leaving, but he understood and said he may come and visit during the holidays, and he said we could come back at any time if we needed to. He was a godsend during the time, and I was especially grateful since he was just as heartbroken about Renee as we were.

I still didn't have a car, but Cody's school was only a five to ten minute walk away. My sweats weren't appropriate for the humid weather, so I changed into jean shorts and a T-shirt. As I was putting on my shirt, I looked at my C-section scar. It was the only evidence that I had been pregnant. It was barely noticeable, but when I looked at it hard enough, I could see it. I slipped on my Chucks, walked out the door, and started walking. The soles of my shoes were worn down from much walking, and the usual hot pavement. As long as there weren't any holes in the shoes, I would still wear them. Cody was my main priority, so I usually had no extra money to buy myself new things. Sometimes, I'd be able to get myself a new pair of shoes, or a few shirts and jeans. That was all I needed. The rest of the money I made went for food, clothes, school supplies, and the occasional toy for Cody.

I got to the school just as the teachers were dismissing them. I waited for Cody to come out, and I stood with the other parents. Some of them gave me a funny look, but I was used to it. People would usually believe that I was his older sister, but when they found out I was his mother, they would give me that 'you look way too young to be a mom' look. It was understandable, since those people didn't know me. I actually looked quite different then I used to back in high school. I used to be on the skinny side, and looked like a twelve year old girl. I didn't know why Edward was attracted to me then. I cringed internally, not wanting to think about him.

I was just a late bloomer, and developed pretty substantial curves, especially while I was pregnant. I was part of the itty-bitty committee until my chest filled out. I was a C-cup now, and that just proves how flat-chested I once was. My face lost some of the baby fat, and I cut my hair. It used to go down to my waist, but it was too much trouble combing it out. I had decided to shorten it when I fell asleep on it and I couldn't undo the tangles. It was cut into a short, asymmetrical pixie cut. It gave me an edgy look, and slightly boosted the little confidence and self-esteem I'd had. My hair used to be dark mahogany with natural red highlights, but from the years living in near-constant sunlight, it looked more like a dark red than anything else. My hair grew extremely fast, so if I let it, my hair would be back down to my waist in a matter of two years.

Cody came running through the door with a few other kids, and his cute little face lit up when he saw me. He ran towards me, and I picked him up in my arms and hugged him tightly. He may have been six years old, but he was one of the shortest kids in his class and rather tiny. If he was anything like his father he would be tall sooner or later.

"Mommy!" He had dropped his backpack near my feet.

"How was your day sweetie?" I smiled and kissed his cheek. I put him down, and we began walking home.

"It was good, but my girlfriend Holly broke up with me today." He grinned like he didn't care, and my eyes widened.

"Girlfriend?" I squeaked.

"She was mad that I was moving and said we should start seeing other people." I looked up at the sky for a moment.

"Heaven help me." I shook my head a little. "Anything else interesting?"

"Since I'm moving, my friend Joey's mom brought cupcakes today and we had a party because they're gonna miss me. I'm pretty popular, you know." I giggled at my son's cockiness. I didn't let the smile fade from my face, knowing Cody would notice it, as usual. He got a lot of his qualities from his father. I was still dreading the day he would ask about him. What would I tell him? He was intelligent, and very perceptive, but I didn't think he was old enough to know yet.

 _You're gonna have to tell him someday, you know._

I flinched at the voice in my head. It would get very annoying at times, and if Cody saw my face, he would ask, and I wasn't a good liar at all. The only thing I was good at was hiding my emotions. I could look completely indifferent without even trying. The result of always masking my true emotions.

We got home pretty quickly, passing the time talking about his day at school. As soon as he dropped his backpack, he made a beeline for the T.V. I had to go to work tonight at the bar. It wasn't my ideal choice of an occupation, but it paid pretty well, especially when I got tips. My uniform was easy to work around. As long as I had on the shirt with the bar logo on it, I could wear anything else I wanted. It felt degrading, wearing the little shorts and skirts that I did, but it gave me an increase in tips.

I was hoping I could rest and take a nap before work, but I didn't want to leave Cody unsupervised. He was extremely sweet, but had a mischievous side. Leave him alone for a few minutes, and he has himself and the entire kitchen covered in flour. He had wanted to make brownies that day.

"Mommy?" Cody called out while I was in the kitchen, getting a glass of water.

"Yes, honey?" I looked around the corner. He was sitting on the couch, rubbing his stomach. That was his way of saying he was hungry.

"I'm hungry. What's for dinner?"

"What would you like?"

"Can we have your special lasagna and brownies?" His eyes were eager, and I couldn't deny him.

"Of course we can."

"Yay!" I laughed as he went back to watching Spongebob.

I opened the fridge and found the ingredients for the lasagna. I always made my dishes from scratch if I could. In my opinion, it tasted better that way, and Cody definitely had no complaints. What made my lasagna so appetizing was the sauce I made. It was my own secret recipe. It was made with fresh tomatoes, freshly ground pepper, cilantro, and an assortment of other spices that I used. I already had a big jar of it made in the fridge.

Soon, the house was filled with the smells of lasagna. Cody apparently liked it, because he sniffed the air every once in a while. I boiled the pasta, and browned the meat with the sauce. I used spinach in the lasagna for fiber. I placed everything into the pan and tossed it in the oven. The brownie batter was already made from scratch, and that was put in the oven as well. I had laughed at Cody, who had come in to lick the spoon. He wanted to entire bowl too, but I didn't want him to spoil his dinner by pigging out.

"Can I please have the bowl?" He started pouting like his father used to, and I was about to give in, but came up with a compromise.

"How about I let you have two brownies instead of the bowl?"

"The bowl."

"Three brownies."

"The bowl."

"Four brownies."

"Deal." He smiled angelically and went back to watching T.V. I rolled my eyes at myself for letting him trick me into giving him more sugar. Edward used to do that to me all the time. I winced and fought to keep the tears back. As much as I wanted to hate him, I couldn't. All I could do was resent him for making it impossible for me to move on.

After a while, both the lasagna and the brownies were done. Cody and I ate in the living room and watched The Lion King on DVD. It was our little tradition. Every time we had lasagna and brownies, The Lion King was what we would watch. We did this at least once every few weeks. My favorite character was Zazu. Cody couldn't decide between Timon or Rafiki. After we finished eating, we played Chutes and Ladders, Candy Land, and Monopoly before Cody got tired. During this time, Phil came home, and I was glad because I was not leaving my son by himself for any reason, job or not. I ran Cody a bath, and got him his pajamas. Some of my T-shirts were baggy on me, and he liked wearing them to bed because they were comfortable. He wanted to sleep in my bed, since he was lonely. I would wait for him to fall asleep before I got ready for work. Phil would check in on him every couple of hours to make sure he was alright.

Some time after 9, he was fast asleep, and I began getting ready. I took a shower and brushed my teeth, removing all traces of dinner. I was very tired, so I covered up my bags with smoky eye shadow, eyeliner, and mascara. I put two pearl studs in my ears, and applied red lipstick. My outfit consisted of the uniform shirt, that was a bit too tight because of a laundry mishap, my mid-thigh dark jean shorts, and high heel wedges.

Phil left me the car keys to the S.U.V. on the table and I grabbed them. I smiled at how much lasagna he had eaten. There was still a good amount left, and they wouldn't mind eating it for dinner tomorrow. I got in the car, drove to work, and clocked in. I put on my little waist apron, and immediately started taking orders. I was utterly pissed off at Jane, who would slack off, and get paid for doing nothing. The only reason she hadn't gotten fired was because she was screwing our boss. I didn't know why she did that because doing her job efficiently was a lot better than having sex with a 40-something year old, balding man with a gut and bad breath in my opinion. He had even propositioned me a few times, but I vehemently refused. He'd had a mind to fire me, but seeing as a lot of men came for drinks to see me brought in more money, and I could sue him for wrongful termination, he knew it wasn't worth it.

"What can I get you?" I asked the man who sat at the bar. I shivered at the creepy gaze he gave me, and he took it the wrong way, his eyes glinting.

"Just a beer." I gave it to him, and he threw the money on the bar counter top. I put it in the register, and continued serving other people. For about twenty minutes, I endured catcalls from other men, and the occasional attempt at groping as I walked by, clearing off tables. I went back to the bar and kept serving drinks. The creepy guy was still there. It made me uncomfortable. For several hours, well past one A.M., he was still there. There were only a few people left, and it was getting closer to the end of my shift. I would have plenty of time to be home to wake Cody up, get him ready for school and have a few hours of sleep. I turned around and to wipe the bar down, and the guy was inches away from my face. I inhaled deeply in surprise.

"My name's James. I don't have to ask yours, Bella." He smirked evilly.

"Is there anything else you want?" His eyes lit up at that. "From the menu?" I added quickly and nervously.

"Yes, but off menu." The next thing I knew, he had grabbed my hair and pulled my lips to his. I couldn't breathe, which made it too easy for his tongue to enter my mouth. I pushed him off of me, gasping for air. His lips were red from my lipstick.

"You're a very great kisser. I can think of plenty of ways you can use that mouth of yours." I glared menacingly at him, but he only grinned.

"Feisty. I like it. Someday, I hope to be more acquainted with your body." He sneered and threw a 50 dollar bill behind the bar counter. "You can get more than that for your services." He winked at me and left. I ran to the bathroom, and locked the door. I looked at my face in the mirror. My eye makeup was smudged, and so was my lipstick. I wiped it off, and washed my face with water and paper towels. Once the makeup was off, I saw just how exhausted and pained I looked. Did I look like that every day? Tears fell down my cheeks, and I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand unconsciously.

After leaving the bathroom and clocking out from my shift, I saw the 50 dollar bill still laying on the ground. It was very humiliating to take it, under the circumstances, but I knew I needed as much as I could get to care for Cody. I would never use myself in that way though. My morals and integrity were important too. My eyesight blurred from the tears as I bent down, picked up the money, and put it on my pocket.


End file.
